Unfortunately I could name 10 women (at least 2 in my own family) who have used abortion as a a means of birth control. Every. Single. Time.
Not one was raped, not one was a victim of incest, and it most cases had some type of family support behind them, i.e. they weren't living on the streets. It was simply 'inconvenient' to them to have the baby, so they didn't. And I don't say that to diminish Light Housework's story, it's just what it is.
In 3 cases I can think of the women have had multiple abortions and it was always a means of birth control. Every. Single. Time.
For many years, probably until a few years ago to be honest, I was firmly in the 'women's rights' camp, and I didn't have a change of mind because of religion. I came across a timeline of a baby's development in the womb and it shocked me out of my 'cluster of cells' dream world.
And then I went down the rabbit hole of looking at actual abortion images, but that's perhaps for another day......................
And it's actually what Rifke said, I began to realize that we are talking about 2 bodies here, not 1.
But for now I'll leave the time line here:
-->Day 1: fertilization: all human chromosomes are present; unique human life begins
-->Day 6: embryo begins implantation in the uterus.
-->Day 22: heart begins to beat with the child's own blood, often a different type than the mothers'.
-->Week 3: By the end of third week the child's backbone spinal column and nervous system are forming. The liver, kidneys and intestines begin to take shape.
-->Week 4: By the end of week four the child is ten thousand times larger than the fertilized egg.
-->Week 5: Eyes, legs, and hands begin to develop.
-->Week 6: Brain waves are detectable; mouth and lips are present; fingernails are forming.
*****IT IS AT THIS POINT IS WHEN MOST WOMEN SUSPECT THEY MIGHT BE PREGNANT*****
-->Week 7: Eyelids, and toes form, nose distinct. The baby is kicking and swimming.
-->Week 8: Every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and fingerprints begin to form. By the 8th week the baby can begin to hear.
-->Weeks 9 and 10: Teeth begin to form, fingernails develop. The baby can turn his head, and frown. The baby can hiccup.
-->Weeks 10 and 11: The baby can "breathe" amniotic fluid and urinate. Week 11 the baby can grasp objects placed in its hand; all organ systems are functioning. The baby has a skeletal structure, nerves, and circulation.
-->Week 12: The baby has all of the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord, and thalamus. Vocal cords are complete. The baby can suck its thumb.
-->Week 14: At this age, the heart pumps several quarts of blood through the body every day.
-->Week 15: The baby has an adult's taste buds.
-->Month 4: Bone Marrow is now beginning to form. The heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood a day. By the end of month 4 the baby will be 8-10 inches in length and will weigh up to half a pound.
-->Week 17: The baby can have dream (REM) sleep.
-->Week 19: Babies can routinely be saved at 21 to 22 weeks after fertilization, and sometimes they can be saved even younger.
-->Months 5 and 6: The baby practices breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into its developing lungs. The baby will grasp at the umbilical cord when it feels it. Most mothers feel an increase in movement, kicking, and hiccups from the baby. Oil and sweat glands are now functioning. The baby is now twelve inches long or more, and weighs up to one and a half pounds.
-->Months 7 through 9: Eyeteeth are present. The baby opens and closes his eyes. The baby is using four of the five senses (vision, hearing, taste, and touch.) He knows the difference between waking and sleeping, and can relate to the moods of the mother. The baby's skin begins to thicken, and a layer of fat is produced and stored beneath the skin. Antibodies are built up, and the baby's heart begins to pump 300 gallons of blood per day. Approximately one week before the birth the baby stops growing, and "drops" usually head down into the pelvic cavity.